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Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Author Interview: Beth and Owen Crane

When did you first know you wanted to write?

Beth

I've
been an avid reader for as long as I can remember and have spent many a
night reading into the small hours. I have been everywhere from
absolutely livid that a character did something, to cheering out loud
whenever they do another. I have always loved the idea of being able to
write the characters in as I think they would act, the characters living
and dying as they would according to the rules in my head. It was only a
matter of having a story we could run with and actually sitting down to
write the thing.

Owen

It
happened gradually. I've loved reading every since I've was young but
as I grew life got in the way and I stopped. When I had kids of my own
it rekindled my passion for it. As Beth grew she started reading the
books I read years ago i found a growing desire to write our own
stories, it all snowballed from there.

What works of literature, art, and/or music have influenced your writing?

Beth

The genius authors of our time and generation as well as ones dead and gone.

Owen

Lewis,
Tolkein and Roald Dahl all hold a special place in my heart. Whatever
else I read i find myself returning again and again to those three.

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

Beth
We
both have very active imaginations so the storyline was very fun to
think up. There was a lot of loud, excited talking and arm waving as Dad
would say something that could happen and I'd come back with something
else, and then he would, and I would, back and forth as we let our
imaginations run wild.

Owen

I
guess it was an amalgamation of all the great story tellers that have
gone before added with our own journey. I wanted to make it relevant to
my own children and blend some of their character into the characters
in the story. Then we threw in some magic, griffons, talking gargoyles
and rivers of blood, and lots of inspiration from pinterest.

Could you talk a bit about the publication process for your book?

Owen

We
never intended the book to go beyond our own family, we wrote for the
joy of storytelling. Then some of our friends read it and persuaded us
to get it published. We look at lots of options and eventually went
down the self published route so we could give the book away to anyone
who wanted it.

Are you currently working on any new projects?

We're writing a second book, to follow Ariella and the Blood Curse.

If you could be any person for a day, alive, dead, or fictional, who would it be, and what would you do?

Beth

After
a lot of eye rolling and being told to "stop over thinking it", I've
narrowed it down from roughly a few thousand people/characters to
Charlie Weasley. He was always my favourite character from the Harry
Potter series and I massively respect the fact that he moved countries,
away from all his family (and the Weaselys are a tight bunch - bar Percy
*boo* *hiss*) to follow his passion and find something he loved to do.
He's also ginger, something I'm rather jealous of. I'd have a day living
his life, working with his dragons.

Owen

My
first choice was Spiderman but them my imagination took over and I
flittered between Gandalf, Aragon or Roald Dahl's George who made the
marvellous medicine for his grandma.

About the book:
Written by father/daughter writing duo Owen and Beth Crane, Ariella and the Blood Curse is about Ariella Lightharbour is heir to the throne with a kingdom at her feet,
but knows she’s meant for more. Forsaking her throne she chooses to
become a Guardian. As she embarks on The Journey she must find the
courage to battle the deadly Ghost Raiders that murdered her father,
discover the identity of the elusive shadow and fight to end the Blood
Curse that threatens to overwhelm the land.